Private-sector workers across the South are the least likely to have employer-provided health insurance, and the share with it has declined dramatically over the last four decades: Employer-provided health insurance coverage by region
| Year | South | Midwest | Northeast | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 64.5% | 71.6% | 71.7% | 68.0% |
| 1982 | 65.6% | 71.0% | 72.0% | 68.6% |
| 1983 | 65.5% | 70.2% | 71.8% | 68.2% |
| 1984 | 64.3% | 69.2% | 71.0% | 66.8% |
| 1985 | 63.2% | 68.5% | 70.6% | 65.7% |
| 1986 | 62.3% | 67.7% | 70.2% | 64.7% |
| 1987 | 61.0% | 65.9% | 69.1% | 62.7% |
| 1988 | 59.0% | 64.4% | 67.8% | 60.5% |
| 1989 | 57.6% | 63.1% | 66.2% | 58.7% |
| 1990 | 56.7% | 62.9% | 65.0% | 58.1% |
| 1991 | 56.0% | 62.5% | 64.0% | 58.1% |
| 1992 | 54.5% | 61.7% | 63.3% | 57.3% |
| 1993 | 54.4% | 61.5% | 63.1% | 56.8% |
| 1994 | 54.3% | 61.4% | 62.3% | 56.3% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 61.5% | 62.1% | 56.0% |
| 1996 | 55.0% | 61.5% | 61.6% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 55.1% | 61.1% | 61.0% | 55.7% |
| 1998 | 55.5% | 61.3% | 59.9% | 56.1% |
| 1999 | 55.2% | 61.4% | 59.5% | 56.3% |
| 2000 | 55.7% | 61.6% | 59.8% | 56.5% |
| 2001 | 55.8% | 61.0% | 60.0% | 56.2% |
| 2002 | 55.4% | 60.2% | 59.5% | 56.0% |
| 2003 | 54.6% | 59.6% | 58.5% | 55.4% |
| 2004 | 53.7% | 59.0% | 57.6% | 55.0% |
| 2005 | 53.1% | 58.4% | 56.9% | 53.9% |
| 2006 | 52.4% | 58.1% | 56.5% | 53.8% |
| 2007 | 52.2% | 57.8% | 56.3% | 54.0% |
| 2008 | 52.0% | 57.7% | 56.5% | 54.7% |
| 2009 | 51.6% | 56.9% | 56.1% | 54.6% |
| 2010 | 50.9% | 56.0% | 55.8% | 54.0% |
| 2011 | 50.1% | 55.1% | 54.9% | 52.8% |
| 2012 | 49.6% | 54.5% | 54.2% | 51.8% |
| 2013 | 49.2% | 54.8% | 54.0% | 51.7% |
| 2014 | 49.4% | 54.5% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| 2015 | 49.7% | 54.5% | 54.5% | 52.2% |
| 2016 | 50.2% | 54.0% | 54.3% | 52.3% |
| 2017 | 50.5% | 54.5% | 54.3% | 52.9% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 54.7% | 53.9% | 52.9% |
| 2019 | 50.7% | 55.0% | 53.9% | 52.5% |
Note: All private-sector wage and salary workers aged 16 and older who worked at least 20 hours per week and 26 weeks per year. Data for each year is a three-year moving average.
Source: EPI analysis of CPS March supplement.